Heavy duty receptacle and blade assembly



Nov. 3, 1970 J. M. GENOVESE 3,533,492

HEAVY DUTY BECEPTACLE AND BLADE ASSEMBLY Filed April 1.9, 1968 WVENTOLJoan M- Gamovasa ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,538,492 HEAVY DUTYRECEPTACLE AND BLADE ASSEMBLY John M. Genovese, Trenton, N.J., assignorto Circle F Industries, Inc., Trenton, NJ., a corporation of New JerseyFiled Apr. 19, 1968, Ser. No. 722,629 Int. Cl. H01! 13/12 US. Cl. 3392586 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A receptacle and blade assemblyparticularly adapted for use with the heavy duty connectors employed onstoves, dryers, domestic heating circuits and the like. The blade is aone piece element designed to cooperate with means within the receptacleto establish a conductor holding portion which is 50 isolated from aconnector receiving portion of the blade that the effectiveness of theelectrical connection between a conductor and the blade will not beimpaired by reason of flexing of the connector receiving portion of theblade.

FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates to assemblies comprising anelectrical receptacle having a yieldable female contact element housedtherein for receiving the blades or pins of a male connector.

THE PRIOR ART Those wiring devices used in handling heavy current loadsmust be so designed as to assure continued and positive contact betweenrelatively movable parts in order to avoid any loosening of the elementswith resulting in crease in resistance to current flow and overheatingof the parts. On the other hand it is sometimes necessary for one ormore elements of an assembly to possess sufficient resiliency to permitready attachment and detachment of elements, as exemplified by the plugand socket connections of domestic equipment such as electrical stoves,dryers or heating devices.

It has been usual practice heretofore to provide such electricalconnectors with a receptacle having a yieldable female contact mountedtherein to afford a Wiping contact with a blade or pin carried by a malecap or plug. The electrical conductor by which current is supplied tothe yieldable female member is generally attached thereto by a terminalscrew. However, relative movement of the female member with respect tothe conductor and terminal screw normally occurs each time the femalecontact is flexed upon insertion or removal of the male member of theassembly. As a result the connection established between the conductorand female member may be sub- 'ected to repeated movements which tend toweaken or impair the efiectiveness of the connection between theconductor, terminal screw and contact member.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention aninsulating receptacle has a connector located therein and consisting ofa single piece blade having a central portion with a threaded openingtherein for receiving a terminal screw engageable with a conductor. Theblade also has female contact portions yieldable to afford a wipingcontact with the male contact element of a connector such as a plug orcap carried by a flexible wire. However, the assembly of the presentinvention includes means located within the receptacle and engagablewith the single piece blade to hold the conductor engaging surfaces ofthe blade and the terminal screw carried by the blade in fixed positionswith respect to the receptacle and conductor at all times 3,538,492Patented Nov. 3, 1970 ice after proper assembly thereof. Such meansserve at the same time to isolate the stationary portions of theassembly from the female or yieldable portions of the blade wherebymovement of the female portions will not result in displacement ormovement of the fixedly positioned conductor, terminal screw, andconductor engaging surfaces of the blade. The effectiveness of theconnection be tween the conductor and the blade is thereby maintainedfor long periods of time without danger of loosening or overheating ofany of the elements of the assembly.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of atypical assembly embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the construction shown in FIG. 1taken on the line 2-2 thereof;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1taken on the line 3-3 thereof; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the metallic inserts embodied in theassembly of FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In that form of the inventionchosen for purposes of illustration in the drawings, the assemblyembodies a receptacle 2, having a recess 4 therein, in which is locateda one piece blade element 6. The blade element 6 is generally U-shapedin vertical cross section as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, and has oppositelegs indicated at 8 and 10. The upper or central portion 12 of thesingle piece blade 6 has a threaded opening 14 therein which is adaptedto receive a terminal screw 18. Each of the legs 8 and 10 is providedmidway of the length thereof, with an inwardly bent anchor portion 22which divides the blade 6 into an upper conductor holding portion 24 anda lower contact portion 26. One or more clips 27 embrace the legs 8 and10 of the blade 6 and fit about the anchor portions 22 of the legs 8 and10 as shown in FIG. 3. In this way the clips 27 embrace both of the legs8 and 10 and limit outward movement thereof which would permit spreadingapart of the anchor portions 22. Such spreading of the anchor portions22 will tend to take place when terminal screw 18 urges the conductor 20downward against the inwardly and downwardly sloping and convergingconductor engaging surfaces 28 of the anchor portion 2 2. When theconductor is forced downward by the terminal screw 18 it bears againstthe upper side of the conductor 20 so as to urge the conductor againstthe conductor engaging surfaces 28 to establish an effective electricalcontact with the anchor portions 22. At the same time, such downwardpressure tends to spread the legs 8 and 10 and the anchor portions 22thereof apart and against the side portions of the clips 27. The endportions 44 of the clips are in turn pressed against the inner walls ofthe recess 4 in the receptacle whereby the elements cooperate toestablish a fixed and positive relation between the conductor 20 and theupper conductor holding portion 24 of the blade element 6.

The cooperation between the anchor portions 22, clips 27, conductor 20and terminal screw 18 by reason of their fixed relation one with theother, serves to isolate the conductor receiving portion of the bladeelement 6 from the flexible blade receiving portion 26 of the bladeelement 6. Accordingly, the lower ends of the two legs 8 and 10 of theblade element 6 are relatively movable toward and away from each otherto afford a spring or wiping contact with a male element insertedbetween the reversely turned or spring portions 26 at the lower ends ofthe legs 8 and 10. Moreover, the movement of the portions 26 toward andaway from each other, takes place about the edges or sides 32 of thelegs of the clips 27 as shown in FIG. 3. Thus, the anchor portions 22serve the dual function of providing a positive seat for the conductor20 when it is urged against the anchor portion by the terminal screw 18and of providing a fixedly located fulcrum about which the resilient oryieldable extremities 26 of the legs 8 and of the blade element 6 arepivotally movable.

In the construction shown in the drawings the recess 4 in the receptacle2 is provided with a shoulder 36 against which the marginal portions ofthe clips 27 may seat to hold the blade element 6 and the conductor infixed positions within the recess 4.

The upper end of the recess 4 is referably provided with a notch 37 forreceiving the conductor when the blade element 6 is inserted into thecavity 4. In addition, a cover member 38 is provided and has an opening40 therein through which access may be had to the terminal screw 18 whendesired.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 4, the anchor portions 22 of the bladeelement 6 are provided on the opposite edges thereof with dimples ornotches 42 for receiving the base or end portions 44 of the clips 27when the clips are moved into embracing engagement with the anchorportions 22 of the legs 8 and 10 shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. Whenthe clips are thus assembled in engagement with the legs 8 and 10 of theblade element 6, the assembled clips and blade element are readilyinserted into the upper end of the recess 4 until the clips seat againstthe ledges 36 about the inner side walls of the recess 4. The conductor20 is then inserted through the opening 37 in the side wall of therecess 4 into a position beneath the terminal screw 18 after which theterminal screw is turned down to forcibly engage the upper surface ofthe conductor 20. The terminal screw thereby serves to urge theconductor against the converging conductor engaging surfaces 28 of theanchor portions 22 of the blade element 6 and force is thus applied. Theanchor portions 22 of the clips 27 are urged outward until the endportions 44 of the clips abut against the side walls of the recess 4 inthe receptacle. When thus seated the clips 27 and legs 8 and 10 of theblade 6 are held against further movement and a positive and rigidassembly is established per mitting yielding movement of the femaleportions 26 of the blade 6 without danger of movement or loosening ofthe conductor 20 with respect to the conductor holding portion 12 of theblade element 6.

The manner in which the elements of the combination are assembled may ofcourse be varied as desired. Similarly the shape of the yieldableextremities 26 of the element 6 may be chosen to aflford a wipingcontact with the mating or male members of any type of cooperatingconnector whether a pin, a blade, or otherwise formed. Moreover, thenovel features of the present invention may be embodied in switchassemblies, circuit breakers, and the like if desired.

I claim:

1. An electrical assembly comprising a receptacle having a recesstherein, an electrically conductive blade element located in saidrecess, said blade element being generally U-shaped to provide thereon amid-portion and legs extending therefrom, said legs being formed withresiliently spreadable distal portions providing electrical contacts,proximal portions at opposite sides of the midportion, and inwardlyoffset anchor portions between the proximal and distal portions, saidmid-portion having a threaded opening therein for receiving a terminalscrew, the anchor portions presenting cooperating converging conductorengaging surfaces positioned opposite said threaded opening, and meanswithin the recess in the receptacle limiting relative spreading movementof said conductor engaging surfaces under the pressure of a conductorurged toward said surfaces by a terminal screw threaded into saidopening while leaving the distal portions free to be spread apart by aninserted male contact, said means within the recess in the receptaclecomprising at least one clip embracing the anchor portions adjacent saidconductor engaging surfaces to limit the distance said surfaces may moveaway from each other in response to the pressure of said conductor.

2. An electrical assembly comprising a receptacle having a recesstherein, an electrically conductive blade ele ment located in saidrecess, said blade element being generally U-shaped to providethereon amid-portion and legs extending therefrom, said legs being formed withresiliently spreadable distal portions providing electrical contacts,proximal portions at opposite sides of the midportion, and inwardlyoffset anchor portions between the proximal and distal portions, saidmid-portion having a threaded opening therein for receiving a terminalscrew, the anchor portions presenting cooperating converging conductorengaging surfaces positioned opposite said threaded opening, and meanswithin the recess in the receptacle limiting relative spreading movementof said conductor engaging surfaces under the pressure of a conductorurged toward said surfaces by a terminal screw threaded into saidopening while leaving the distal portions free to be spread apart by aninserted male contact, said means comprising two oppositely facingU-shaped clips surrounding said blade element adjacent said conductorengaging surfaces.

3. An electrical assembly comprising a receptacle having a recesstherein, a single piece blade element located in said recess andembodying a central portion having a threaded opening therein forreceiving a terminal screw, resiliently spreadable legs integral withsaid central portion and located on opposite sides of said bladeelement, said legs presenting inwardly and downwardly inclined conductorengaging surfaces intermediate their ends converging toward each otherand positioned to support a conductor engaged by a terminal screwlocated in the threaded opening in the central portion of said bladeelement, and means engaging the intermediate portions of the legs ofsaid blade element and an inner Wall of the recess in said receptaclelimiting relative movement of said conductor engaging surfaces, and ofthose end portions of the legs located between said means and thecentral portion of the blade element, outward away from each other whena conductor supported on said surfaces is urged against the same *by aterminal screw threaded into said threaded opening, the other endportions of the legs being free to be resiliently spread apart by aninserted male contact.

4. An electrical assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein the meansengaging the legs of said blade element and an inner wall of the recessin the receptacle are in the form of U-shaped clips facing in oppositedirections and embracing the legs of the blade element near saidconductor engaging surfaces.

5. A combined female contact and terminal for mounting in a blade recessof a heavy duty electrical receptacle, comprising a blade assemblyincluding a generally U- shaped, electrically conductive, one-pieceblade element having a central portion and a pair of resilientlyspreadable legs extending therefrom, the central portion having athreaded opening for receiving a terminal screw, said assembly furtherincluding clip means lying transversely of said legs intermediate theends of the legs, said assembly including a conductor-receiving surfaceopposite the screw for clamping of a conductor between the screw andsaid surface, said clip means having side portions embracing the legs inthe said area of said surface providing abutments limiting spreading ofthe legs in the inserted position of a conductor, over the portion ofsaid assembly disposed at one side of the clip means and extendingbetween the clip means and central portion, whereby said central portionconstitutes a rigidified holder for the inserted conductor, the portionof the assembly disposed at the other side of the clip means beingcomprised Wholly of free end portions of the legs, resilientlyspreadable by an inserted male contact and constituting a female contactisolated from the rigidified conductor holder by said clip means.

6 6. A combined female contact and blade assembly as in 2,727,220 12/1955 Buchanan et al. claim 5 wherein the legs are crimped inwardly whereem- 2,999,412 9/1961 Martens 858.8 braced by the clip means providingconvergent conductor- 3,041,576 6/1962 Bellek 339192 receiving surfacesspreadable by a conductor forced there against by the screw, saidsurfaces being spreadable to a FOREIGN PATENTS limited extent aspermitted by the clip means for wedga 35,112 3/1966 Fin1and ing of theconductor tightly between said surfaces when 702,234 1/1954 GreatBritain. the blade assembly is in use.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner References Cited 10 J. H. MC GLYNN,Asslstant Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,371,446 3/1945 Jensen. U.S.C1.X.R. 2,459,832 1/1949 McKinley 339-95 339-262, 272

